How to create an effective site structure for your hotel website

What is a site structure and why is it important for your hotel

A site structure is the hierarchical structure of your website’s pages. It is its architecture, where pages are organized into categories and subcategories so that it is easy for visitors to navigate and find the information they are looking for. For a hotel, it is important that information about rooms, services, offers, local activities, and contacts is easily accessible to site visitors. A well-designed site structure will help provide this information in an organized and easily navigable way. In addition, a well-designed site structure will also help search engines better understand your site content and rank it higher in search results.

Follow these useful steps in creating the site structure:

• Identify the key pages of your site
  Before creating the site structure, it’s important to identify the key pages of your site, such as the homepage, rooms section, services section, offers section, surrounding area, sports that can be practiced, the hotel bar or restaurant, the wellness area, swimming pool, gym, and contacts.
• Organize the pages into logical categories
  Once you’ve identified the key pages, it’s important to organize them into logical categories. For example, the rooms section could be divided into categories such as single rooms, double rooms, suites, etc. In this way, site visitors can easily find the type of room they are looking for.
• Plan internal links to improve navigability
  Using internal links is important to improve site navigation. Internal links allow you to connect specific pages of your site to each other, making it easier for visitors to move from one page to another and find the information they need. In addition, internal links also help search engines better understand your site structure and rank it higher in search results.
• Provide a landing page for each category
  Providing a landing page for each category is important because it allows visitors to easily find the information they need. For example, a landing page for the “offers” category should list all available offers, with photos and descriptions that link to subpages.
• Test and optimize the site structure
  Testing and optimizing the site structure is important to ensure that it is easy to navigate and that visitors can easily find the information they need. This can be done using data analysis tools to monitor visitor behavior on the site and make any changes to improve navigation.

Common mistakes in creating a site structure for a hotel

Developing the right site structure for your hotel is not always easy, sometimes you run the risk of making some mistakes that should absolutely be avoided, here are some:

• Using a structure that is too complex
  Using a structure that is too complex can make it difficult for visitors to navigate and find the information they need. It’s important to keep the structure simple and intuitive.
• Not providing a landing page for each category
  Not providing a landing page for each category can make it difficult for visitors to find the information they need. It’s important to provide a landing page for each category to make navigation easier and help customers find useful information.
• Using a navigation menu that is too complex
  Using a navigation menu that is too complex can make it difficult or even impossible for visitors to find the information they need. It’s important to keep the navigation menu simple, intuitive, and as organized as possible.
• Not testing and optimizing the site structure
  Not testing and optimizing the site structure is one of the most common mistakes not only made by hoteliers but also by professionals in the field. Having extensive experience does not mean that the structure that works for one hotel will work for another. You should perform tests, ask for feedback, and always try to find a better way to organize the information. This can be done using data analysis tools to monitor user behavior on the site and make any changes to improve navigation.
• Using a different menu structure for all languages
  Using a consistent menu structure for all languages is important to ensure that users can easily navigate the site regardless of the selected language. Developing the same menu structure for all languages can help make navigation more intuitive for users and also make it easier for search engines to understand the page. Therefore, it is important to always have all site pages translated and avoid missing parts in any of the languages.

In general, creating an effective site structure for your hotel requires a deep understanding of your visitors’ needs and the ability to organize information in a logical and easily navigable way. By using the tips listed above, you can create a site structure that will help improve the user experience and boost your hotel’s online presence.